Lifting means for automobile hoods



De.31,194o. W H KRAU$E 2,227,144

LIFTING MEANS FOR AUTOMOBILE HOODS Filcd May 1 8, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 De V222 fr Z/ler /fwzase Det. 31, 1940. w, H KRAUSE Y 2,227,144

LIFTING MEANS FOR AUTOMOBILE HOOS Filed May 18, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y 2f/,37 A a Dec. 3l, 1940. w. H. KRMISEl LIFTING MEANS FOR AUTOMOBILE HOODS Filed llay 18, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 3l, 1940.

w. H. KRAusE LIFTING MEANS FOR AUTOMOBILE HOODS Filed may 18, 1959 4 sheets-Sheet 4 I fnyefezar a/fer. 15C/fraaie y MM Patented Dec. 3l, 1940 l' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,221,144 Lir'rlNG MEANS Fon AUTOMOBILE noons Walter H. Krause, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Chicago Forging & Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation oi Illinois Application May 18, 1939, Serial No. 274,315

t 7 Claims. (Ci. 292-1) My invention relates to means unitarily appliwhich the plate @may be secured by bolts I or by cable to an automobile hood and hood closure any other suitable securing means having primary latching means, secondary safety Any suitable adjusting slots may be provided on latching means, and means for lifting the hood the plate 6, as shown for example at Ii in Fig. 6.

closure a predetermined distance in response to Preferably the plate B is mounted for lateral ad- 6 release of the primary latching means and prior justment, the slots II being laterally or transto the release ofthe secondary safety latching versely elongated, whereby the aperture 'i may be means. aligned with the latching means below described. Other purposes will appear from time to time I2 indicates a downwardly turned iiange adapted l0 in the course of the specification and claims. to receive the secondary or safety latching mem- 10 I illustrate my invention more or less diagram ber below described. An additional rearward rematically in the accompanying drawings wherein: inforcing flange it may be provided.

Fig. l is e. side elevation with parts-in vertical Mounted on the lower side of the plate S I illuslongitudinal section; l trate a latch member it shown as formed oi sheet Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on an metal and mounted on or forming part of a lever enlarged scale illustrating part of the material I5 pivoted as at it forrotation about a vertical shown in Fig 1'; pivot and urged by a spring II toward latching Fig. 3 illustrates the structure of Fig. 2 with the position. I8 is any suitable retaining member for hood in partially raised position, taken substanthe lever I5 which may be secured to the bottom 2G tlally on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4; of the plate 6. IS is a downwardly projecting lug 20 Fig. 4 is a section o n the line 4--4 of Fig. 2; on the end of the lever I5 which is adapted to re- Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5- 5 of Fig. i on ceive any suitable operating element or rod 20 an enlarged scale; which terminates in any suitable operating handle Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2; member diagrammatically shown at 2I. The Fig. '7 is a partial view similar to Fig. 5, illusmember 2I may be mounted on or adjacent the 25 trating a variant form of the device; instrument panel 4 of the vehicle, in a position Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7; convenient to the drivers seat. Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8; `22 indicates a transversely extending plate Fig. 10 is a plan view similar to Fig. 5 of a varimounted on the hood closure 2, for example upon ant form ofthe device; and intermediate brackets 23 secured upon the in- 30 Fig, l1 is a section on the line II--II of Fig. 10. turned lower edges or iianges 24 oi the hood clo- Like parts are indicated by like characters sure 2. It willbeunderstood, of course', that any throughout the specification and drawings. suitable securing and supporting means may be Referring to the drawings, and for example to employed. I illustrate the member 22 as mounted Fig. l and following, I generally indicates an autofor longitudinal adjustment and for that purpose 35 mobile hood and 2 a closure therefor, transversely I provide adjusting slots 25 through which pass and horizontally hinged at its 4rear end as at 3. any suitable securing bolts 26 whereby the mem- It will be understood, however, that the hinge ber 22 is secured upon'the upper inner anges of shown is diagrammatic and that any suitable the brackets 23. The transversely extending 40 mounting for the rear end of the closure 2 may member 22 is downwardly .off-set as at 2'I, which 40 be employed. 4 generally indicates the instruoffset may serve as a reinforcing means and is ment panel of the vehicle. It will be understood not in general essential. It is also provided with that inthe claims, however, I may employ the reinforcing flanges 2d, shown as upwardly exterm hood to indicate the hood closure 2, since tending.

it cooperates with the normally xed portion l `Mounted on the downwardly offset central por- 45 to constitute a complete hood or enclosure for tion 21 isa combined centering and locking keeper the engine. Y l 29, which may for example be formed of rod stock Mounted on the hood I is a member which I screw. threaded as at 30 and held in position by may call a bottom plate, generally indicated at 6 upper and lower nuts 3l, 32. It has secured or and shown in some detail for example in Fig. 6. formed at its lower end a spear head, or down 50 It is illustrated as having a transversely elongatwardly pointed cone 33 having a generally horied aperture 'I surrounded by a downwardly turned zontal upper ledge or locking keeper 34 adapted flange 8. The plate 6 may be mounted in any to receive the lever or locking member I5, for exf suitable fashion upon the hood I. I illustrate i'or ample when the parts are in the position shown example flanges 9 at each side of the hood I to in Fig. 2. 55 indicates a forked lifting lever or 55 levers pivoted on ears 36, formed in the plate 22, and normally thrust or urged toward the lifting position as by the spring or springs 31. In the form herein shown, for example in Fig. 5, it will be observed that a spring 31 is coiled about a pivot pin 38, and that the forked lever 35, which straddles the locking keeper 29, is mounted on or associated with the pin, whereby, in response to the flexure of the spring 31, the levers 35 are urged in a counterclockwise direction. Referring to the position of the parts as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the lower ends of the forked lever have rounded and flanged end portions 39 opposed to.

the upper face of the lower plate face. It will be understood, therefore, that when the latch portion I4 of the lever I5 is moved into release position, the spring 31 is released to rock the levers 35 about their pivots, this rocking movement tending to raise the hood or closure member 2 to the slightly elevated position in which it is shown for example in Fig. 3.

Any suitable pads or cushioning members of rubber or the like. as shown at 40, may be employed for cushioning the contact between the opposed portions of the hood I and the hood closure 2.

I provide a secondary or safety latching means which includes a lever or hook 4I with a latching or hook portion proper 42. pivot-ed as at 43 between ears 44 which may be downwardly struck from the upper transverse plate 22. Any suitable means may be employed for,urging the hook 42 normally into vertical alignment with the securing lip I2` I illustrate for example a coil spring 45. The hook is provided also with a finger or handle piece 46, preferably formed integrally therewith, the purpose of which will later appear..

Referring to Figs. '1, 8 and 9, I illustrate a variation in the lifting means. I illustrate for example, opposed to the plate 6, a generally cylindrical upwardly extending member GIU, with a partial top closure 6I, centrally apertured as at 62 to admit therethrough the shank of the guiding member or pin 29, and an outward bottom flange 6Ia. As will be observed from Fig. 8, the head 33 of the pin is located below the bottom of the cylinder 60 when the parts are in locking position, but Vthe internal diameter of the cylinder is sufficient to permit the head to extend upwardly therethrough. The cylinder 60 serves as an abutment. and as a guiding or positioning means for acoil spring 63, which is compressed between tl'ie top surface of the plate 6 and the bottom surface ofl the upper plate 22, when the hood is'closed. The upper plate 22 is shown as recessed as at 64 to receive a square nut or abutment 65 screw threaded on the screw threaded portion of the pin 29. 66 is 'any suitable nut which serves to lock the above described assembly in position.

Referring to the form of Figs. 10 and following, vI illustrate a variant form of lifting spring. In place of the pin 43 of Fig. 6, I employ a longer pin 10, which performs the double function of serving as a pivot for the safety latch structure 4I and of supporting a lifting spring, which includes upper side elements 1I, 12 which terminate in coils 13, 14, wound about the pin 10, the coils being extended in the bottom members 15, 16, which are connected at their end as by the cross portion 11.

In the form herein shown I illustrate a oriepiece wire spring. It will be understood, as shown in Fig. 11, that the bend 11 abuts against the The hook member is lower plate 6, whereas the portions 1I, 12 abut against the lower face of the-downwardly offset 21 of the upper plate 22. Thus, the spring structure described normally tends to raise the closure 2 when the primary latch means is closed.

It will be realized that whereas I have described and illustrated a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes may be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawings to be taken as in a broadsense illustrative or diagrammatic, rather than as limiting me to my precise showing. `For example, whereas I have shown a specific spearshaped rod, it will be understood that variations in form, shape and material may 'be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

Referring to all the forms herein, I prvide a compact structure for carrying a lock or latch which holds the closure portion 2 `of the hood in nal locked position, and an additional latch 4I which permits a limited upward movement ofv the member 2. In the form of Figs. 1 and following, I provide a spring-urged lever or levers 35 tending to raise the member 2, as shown in Fig. 3. when the latch I4 is released, as for example by a pull on the manual handle 2I operated from or near the instrument panel. In the form of Figs. 7 and following, I illustrate a variant lifting means, which includes a spring 63 and cup shaped member 60 surrounding the rod 29. In each case the effective operation is substantially the same.

When the member-2 is moved into the closed position in which it is shown for example in Figs. l and 8, the lever I5, including the latch portion I4, is urged into lockingposition by its controlling sprirg, and the parts are firmly locked. When the operator releases the lever I5 by pulling on the handle 2I, the spring means 31 or 63 are effective to raise the member 2 a predetermined distance. This distance is preferably sufficient to permit the hand of an operator to penetrate beneath the lower edge of the member 2 easily, to contact the handle 46 of the Supplemental catch 4I. The operator can then, by one unitary movement, lift/the member 2 and at the same time rotate the handle 46 suiiiciently to move the hook 42 out of vertical alignment with the abutment ledge II2 of the plate 6.

Note that the conic head 33 merges into a cylindrical portion 33a of a length suihcient to engage and provide a proper bearing with the downturned flange 8 of the plate 6. Note that this flange 8 does not entirely surround the aperture penetrated by the head 33, as the latch member I4 cuts in at one side or end of the aperture. The cylindrical portion 33a of the head 33 engages the flange 8 at diametrically opposed sides of the head. The length of the aperture 1 of the plate 6 permits a certain relative movement of the guiding head and the lower plate 6 in a longitudinal direction.` This is important in connection with the upward and downward movement of the closure, and particularly where lever supports, compound hinges, or the like, are employedfor the rear end of the hood.

, With reference to the lever structure 35, whereas I illustrate a unitary structure including two levers connected by an integral transversely extending portions 35a, it will be understood, of

course, that a single lever or leg may be employed. Note that the upper end of each such lever or leg 35 is formed to engage the opposed face of the supporting plate 22, to serve as a stop for limiting the rotation of the levers in response to the action of the spring 31.

I nd it practical to stamp the entire lever structure, including the connecting piece and flanges, out of a single piece of sheet stock.

In the operation of this device, if it happens that an operator, iilling station attendant, or the like, does not slam the member 2 down sufciently farto move the parts into locking position, no risk of accident is involved if, as the vehicle starts, wind pressure is suiicient to raise the hood, as the safety latch or hook 4| will permit only a relatively slight upward movement of the member 2. However, the lifting movement will be sufficient to be apparent to the operator, who can then stop the car and iirmly close the member 2. It is advantageous that, when the member 2 is closed, no outsider can normally obtain access to either the latch lever I5 or to the supplemental catch 4I. It is only when the operator releases the lever I5 by pulling on the handle 2| that an outsider can have access to the handle 46, and may thereby lift themember 2. Thus, if the vehicleis locked. with its doors closed, it is safe from any normal tampering.

It will be understood, of course, that in a broad sense the forms of Fig. and following are functionally equivalent to the forms of the earlier figures, it 'being clear that various types of spring may be advantageously employed under different conditions.

I claim:

1. In a unitary structure for use with a. hood having a xed portion and movable portion and latch-part mounting plates mounted one respectively on each said portion, one of said mounting plates being superposed above the other, and a latch and a keepermounted respectively one on each said latch-part mounting plate, a lifting lever on one of said plates, yielding means for urging it toward lifting position, the other of said plates having an abutment portion aligned with the operative end of said lever over which the end of said lever is free to move transversely thereacross as the plates are separated, andv means for limiting the arc of rotation of the lever to prevent t from passing over center, so that it will be in proper position to be moved to tensioned condition When the upper plate is again lowered toward latching position. Y

2. In a unitary structure for use with a hood having a fixed portion and movable portion and latch-part mounting plates mounted one respectively on each said portion, one of said mounting plates being superposed above the other, a latch and a keeper mounted respectively one on each said latch-part mounting-plate, a double armedA mounted respectively one on each said latch-part mounting plate, a double armed lifting lever on one of said plates, and yielding means for urging it toward lifting position, the free ends of said lifting lever being adapted for engagement with the opposite plate, and being free to move transversely thereacross as the plates are separated, the individual ends of said lifting lever being located one on each side of the keeper.

4. In a unitary structure for use with a hood having a xed portion and movable portion and latch-part mounting plates mounted one respectively on each said portion, and a latch and a keeper mounted respectively one on each said latch-part mounting plate, a lifting lever on one of said plates, and yielding means for urging it l toward lifting position, the free end of said lift-l ing lever being adapted for engagement with the opposite plate and being free to move transversely thereacross as the plates are separated, said yielding means including a coil spring concentric with the axis of movement of the lever, one end of said spring being opposed to the plate on which the lever is mounted, the other being opposed to an intermediate portion of the lever.

5. In a vehicle hood latch assembly for a hood having a fixed portion and a movable portion, and latch-part mounting plates mounted one respectively on each such portion, said plates being adjacent and superposed when the hood is closed, a combined centering member and keeper mounted on one of said plates, the other of said plates being apertured to receive it, and a latch mounted on said apertured plate, a lifting lever pivoted in relation to one of said plates, yielding means for urging it toward lifting position, the other of said plates having an abutment portion aligned with the operative end ofsaid lever when the parts are in closed position, the free end of said lever being adapted for engagement with said abutment portion. l

6. In a'. vehicle hood latch assembly for a hood having a 'fixed portion and a movable portion, and latch-part mounting plates mounted one respectively on each such portion, said plates being adjacent and superposed when the hood is closed, a combined centering member and keeper mounted on one of said plates, the other of said plates being apertured to receive it, and a latch mounted lon said apertured plate, a lifting lever pivoted in relation to one of said plates, yielding means for urging it toward lifting position, the votherv of said plates having an abutment portion aligned with the operative end of said lever when the parts are in closed position, the free end of said lever being adapted for engagement with said abutment portion, said lifting lever being mounted on the plate on which the combined centering member and keeper is mounted, the abutment portion of the opposite plate being located adjacent the aperture through which the combined centering member and keeper penetrates.

' 7. In a vehicle hood latch assembly for a hoodhaving a, fixed portion and a movable portion, and latch-part mounting plates mounted one ref spectively on each such portion, said plates being adjacent and superposed when the hood is closed, a keeper mounted on one of said plates, the other of said plates being apertured to receive it, and a.y latch mounted on said apertured plate, a lifting 

